First, there was her father, Nat King Cole. Then, there were all of his friends.

"When I was growing up, I had so many musical influences I still feel a little schizophrenic," Cole told the audience at a benefit for California State University, Fullerton's arts program.

Natalie Cole: The singer has been nominated in two Grammy categories: Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals and Best Jazz Vocal Album.

Cole remembered when she was younger, her front teeth missing, and offered to sing for her father, who thought the tune would be one of his. Instead, she sang a less-than-stellar rendition of Ella Fitzgerald's "A Tisket-A-Tasket."

"He was mortified," she recalled.

Cole, who turns 53 on Thursday, then gave a much better rendition of Fitzgerald's song.

Cole teamed with a recording of her father on "Unforgettable, With Love," which sold 14 million copies and won a Grammy for record of the year in 1991.

This year Cole is nominated in two Grammy categories: Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "Better Than Anything" with Diana Krall and Best Jazz Vocal Album for "Ask a Woman Who Knows."

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) - A judge has eased terms of probation for comedian Paula Poundstone, who in December regained full custody of three adopted children she lost after pleading no contest to child endangerment.

Superior Court Judge Bernard Kamins reduced Poundstone's psychological counseling sessions from four to two a month and her Alcoholics Anonymous meetings from three to two a week.

Poundstone, 43, pleaded no contest in September 2001 to one felony count of child endangerment and misdemeanor infliction of injury on a child. The endangerment charge involved driving drunk with children in her car.

Poundstone was sentenced to 180 days at a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center, plus five years of probation.

Her children, ages 4 to 11, were placed with a court-approved foster parent, a friend of the comedian.